No cellphone ban coming to B.C. schools

B.C. will not be following in Ontario’s footsteps in implementing a cellphone ban at the province’s schools, an education ministry official said Wednesday.

Ontario’s Education Minister Lisa Thompson said the change would be coming to schools in September.

“Ontario’s students need to be able to focus on their learning — not their cellphones,” she said in a statement. “By banning cellphone use that distracts from learning, we are helping students to focus on acquiring the foundational skills they need, like reading, writing and math.”

In B.C., the decision will remain with individual school districts, the education ministry said in a statement.

“While the ministry sets high level direction and policy for the K-12 education system, school districts are responsible for setting local policy that meets the unique needs of their student populations,” a spokesperson said.

“This includes developing policies addressing the use of wireless technology, including cellphones, in schools and implementing the appropriate technology necessary to support the education needs of their students.”